Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-05-14
WATCHING WITH STANTON
JOHN NJ. THAYeR TELLS OF A
THRILLING NIGHT.
How the War Secretary and His Friends
Held tn. Port Against An Expected At
tack of the Marines Ordered by Presi-
dent .Johnson-Stanton'sC Character.


Special Correspondence
OMAHA, May lU--A few days ago there
apIeareSi iii The Omaha Republican an
interesting letter from Hon. Luke r PO-
land, Of Vermont 1t was entitled One
Night with Stanton and related To Presi-
dent JohnsOns effort To eject the famous
war secretary from his office Mr.. Pu-
lands letter was based on a paragraph in a
recent issue Of The Washington Gazette,
which stated that Governor Thayer, Of Ne
braska. was an intimate friend OF Secretary
Stanton, and On the night when President
johnson contemplated having Stanton elected
from the war department by the marines he
lSenator Ihayer1 remained with the secre-
tary, and would doubtless have given some
hard knocks had the marines made their ap-
psaranCe"
To day Governor Thayer was in Omaha,
and showed him the Poland letter, at the
same time asking him to give me his version
of that "One night with Stanton"
1T was in 1864 or lstS-l don't remember
definitely just now-that three members Of the
cabinet had resigned, " said Governor Thayer.
They were Harlan, secretary OF the interior,
Speed, attorney general, and D-nnison,
postmaster general They refused 10 sustain
Andrew johnson in building up my policy,
10 he called 1t. Stanton, as secretary Of war,
also refused to support johnson in his attitude
toward the Republican party. Stanton, how
ever, held 10 the war department and
would not resign johnson tried by various
means to eject him, and there was general
belief at the time that he intended u use mill
tary force 10 accomplish his object That
WAS the reason why We wanted Stanton To
stay in Office. One afternoon u messenger
brought into the senate the nomination Of
Lorenzo Thomas, then adjutant general OF
the army, to be secretary Of war. This
created the livellest kind Of breeze It WAS
then that Charles Sumner sent his famous
laconic dispatch to Stanton 1t consisted Of
one word-'StiCk.' Senator Cameron pro-
posed that a numter Of senator's visit Stanton
at the war department, and was Of the
invited party, among whom were Senators
Chandler, of Michigan; Ramsey, of Mime
sofa; Anthony, Of Rhode Island, and several
Others whose names cannot at this moment
recall We found Secretary Stanton deter
mined TO remain at his post Every one Of
Us believed that johnson would attempt Ia
eject by the use Of the army, and We all eX
pressed the hope that the secretary would
stick | happened to lie the last To leave
and l was going out | asked the secretary
If he would like to have company that night.
If you will come here and pass the night
with me | will he greatly pleased 20 have
YOU, said he. | assured him that | would
come, and then took my departure. We
went over To headquarters and called
ON Gen. Grant, with whom We had all
interview regarding the situation. He in
formed US that II had been his intention tn
take the train for New York that night
lL4s was on saturday afternoon, and hs III
tended to he absent until Monday He Was
urged To postpone MS Nlslt Tor u lew days,
which he Consented TO do. That evening l
went 10 secretary Stahtohs room and found
MN surrounded oy large number OF sena-
tors ana representatives who, however, left
at ~ o'clock ana remained with HIM alone
asked niiii "hat oflcer was III command Of
the troops around the war department, and
lie inior h'eu lie 'nat the commanding omcer
was "eh 'arr' 10 you kho" hiIif asked
tns secretary i kh"" MN wen, replied !,
.arr anu myself served together Tor some
time oufihg the war. we commanded
oiisaues anu ui>is'o III tue sahie I" rps
lou hLo" 'ha' seii'ife's are p'steu al every
door o' 'he department anu al every gate
opening INTO tue ehciosure surrounding this
puiioiiis' SAID tne secretary and WISH you
Mouiu eau Oh .air az once ieaIh MS views on
the situatioi' anu ash niia "hal authority Ne
pfoposes W 'eeoshi1e'
nat was 'ue - uoi'i'ic' VI authorny'
asAeu Vi w. "''ea e. u''ihs niih-
hou see' s,u uo,ein inayer' that
''nsi.ss !" ouei ~ neose IN 'onisoi', oaa
passed al act d,ree'his tna' al "rders Oh the
~ VI Ae :" snouu "e
uahsliii''eu oi'i' 'hiousn 'he neaaouaitefs
Vi Tue army n'eaiiihs 'neieoy taa' no orders
Sn'"'u oe 0a any ~ u''ie'' 'ney 'ooA LUIS
eouiSe his Hs''e IA sucu oiuers pass
'oiousi 'ne nnhuS Vi "eH' oiah'' 'no was
oppoSeu W 'on'leon anu VINO s'o"o oy tne
i'&puoi'1.l p.i -. .onipiaii'e win 'ae
'eques. ., SECRETARY Stanton, oescehaea 70
sne III 81 ." no'' y. 'ae o.A "ai uepai 'ihent anu
ioui'u |aii Sea'eu ia tue nai'"ay ieaoihs oot
al 'he suu'h uooi 'o"ou 'ne navy uepaIt-
ii'e'it, Eh'eh's ih'o CON 'efsa''oh Win MN
sa'o' "eieiai' "noih uo you propose 70
recognize Us your superior oficer Under the
PeSeh' .heui''s'nii.es' shah take
oiue's' NC 'epIeu' only roih Oeh'
ura'' "no my ii'i,'euia'e superior
oiii'ei III aS'i'', 'oh' anu iioih oecfe'afy
otai'oh' ''ue'' arc W "',i'i' ho one
',i'' 'ne wa ueia' .ii'eh' uii,ess oy otuer oi
'he Se'i anu any oons VI any iorce
a''eihpt ~ eis'ei Shaii iele' tnehi' ihis
was very sa''sia''oi anu Tue secretary WAS
srea'iS Peaseu WIN Tue mainly anu deter
iiii'ieo' s.>'i'' 'oNe' "S "e'h Saii' ine secfe
.hS AIN H. 'ei' ieii'f'iiieu a"aAe uhtn very
ia'e toui oo'upS n's 'ue TINE lii discussing
tne silua''on' Tue course o' The president and
his issue WIN Tue nepuoicai party rlhaiiy
we uropi"' oii 10 s'eep' eacn upon lounge
An 'he couise vi an h"ui = was a"aketed py
Stahtoh' VINO said: Deiie'e Johnson's